A beverage brewing system is adapted to have a brewing configuration, in which, a brewing chamber has a brewing substance therein, a bottle initially has a fluid therein, a lid is located over a cup, the bottle is removably attached to the lid and located over the lid, the brewing chamber is located between the bottle and the cup, and a blow-out valve is located between the bottle and the brewing chamber so that the blow-out valve initially hinders a flow of the fluid from the bottle to the brewing chamber. The blow-out valve is adapted to be breached at a predetermined pressure when the fluid is heated to allow the fluid to pass through the brewing chamber into the cup to form a brewed fluid. The entire system is preferably disposable and microwavable. Preferably, the system has a compact storage configuration and a portable drinking configuration as well.
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69. A beverage brewing system adapted to have a shipping/storage configuration and a brewing configuration, the beverage brewing system comprising:
a cup;
a drinking lid having an aperture for dispensing fluid; and
a bottle having a fluid chamber portion and a brewing chamber portion,
such that in the shipping/storage configuration, the fluid chamber portion comprises water therein, the brewing chamber portion comprises a brewing substance therein, the fluid chamber portion is hermetically sealed, the water in the fluid chamber portion does not contact the brewing substance in the brewing chamber portion, at least a majority of the bottle is within an interior region of the cup, and the drinking lid is located over the cup and the bottle, and
such that in the brewing configuration, the bottle is removably attached to the drinking lid, the fluid chamber portion is located over the cup, with the brewing chamber portion located between the fluid chamber portion and the interior region of the cup.
1. A beverage brewing system adapted to have a brewing configuration, the beverage brewing system comprising:
a cup;
a drinking lid having a drinking hole along a periphery region;
a bottle portion adapted to retain a fluid therein;
a brewing chamber portion adapted to retain a brewing substance therein; and
a first blow-out valve member,
such that in the brewing configuration,
the brewing chamber portion has the brewing substance therein,
the bottle portion initially has the fluid therein,
the drinking lid is located over the cup,
the bottle portion is removably attached to the drinking lid and located over the drinking lid,
the brewing chamber portion is located between the bottle portion and the cup, and
the first blow-out valve member is located between the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion so that the first blow-out valve member initially hinders a flow of the fluid from the bottle portion to the brewing chamber portion, wherein the first blow-out valve member is adapted to be breached at a first predetermined pressure in the bottle portion and wherein the bottle portion is hermetically sealed at least in part by the first blow-out valve member prior to the first blow-out valve member being breached, wherein the first blow-out valve member differs from the brewing substance.
31. A beverage brewing system adapted to have a storage configuration and a brewing configuration, the beverage brewing system comprising:
a cup;
a drinking lid having a drinking aperture configured to dispense fluid into a mouth;
a bottle portion adapted to retain a fluid therein;
a brewing chamber portion adapted to retain a brewing substance therein; and
a blow-out valve member;
such that in the storage configuration,
the drinking lid is located over the cup, and
the bottle portion is located in the cup; and
such that in the brewing configuration,
the brewing chamber portion has the brewing substance therein,
the bottle portion initially has the fluid therein,
the drinking lid is located over the cup,
the bottle portion is removably attached to the drinking lid and located over the drinking lid,
the brewing chamber portion is located between the bottle portion and the cup,
the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion are supported by the drinking lid, and
the blow-out valve member is located between the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion so that the blow-out valve member initially prevents a flow of the fluid from the bottle portion to the brewing chamber portion, wherein the bottle portion is hermetically sealed at least in part by the blow-out valve member prior to the blow-out valve member being ruptured by pressure from within the bottle portion, and wherein the blow-out valve member differs from the brewing substance.
50. A method of brewing a beverage using a beverage brewing system, the method comprising:
removing a freshness seal covering one or more drip holes that open to an interior of a brewing chamber portion;
forming a brewing configuration for the system, such that
a drinking lid is over a cup, the drinking lid having a sipping hole for dispensing contents of the cup,
the drinking lid has a bottle portion removably attached thereto,
the drinking lid is located between the bottle portion and the cup,
the drinking lid supports the bottle portion,
the bottle portion has a fluid therein,
a brewing chamber portion comprises a brewing substance therein,
the brewing chamber portion is located between the bottle portion and the cup,
the brewing chamber portion has a first hole formed therein,
a first blow-out valve member is bonded to a surface of the brewing chamber portion to cover the first hole, and
the bottle portion is hermetically sealed initially at least in part by the first blow-out valve member;
heating contents in the bottle portion, thereby increasing the temperature and pressure of the contents within the bottle portion, the contents including the fluid;
when the heated contents within the bottle portion reach a first predetermined pressure, breaching the first blow-out valve member using the heated contents within the bottle portion, thereby allowing the fluid to enter the brewing chamber portion;
brewing the brewing substance with the fluid in the brewing chamber portion; and
dispensing a brewed fluid downwardly into the cup from the brewing chamber portion via the drip holes.
44. A beverage brewing system adapted to have a storage configuration, a brewing configuration, and a drinking configuration, the beverage brewing system comprising:
a cup;
a drinking lid;
a bottle portion adapted to retain a fluid therein;
a brewing chamber portion adapted to retain a brewing substance therein; and
a blow-out valve member;
such that in the storage configuration,
the drinking lid is located over the cup, and
the bottle portion is located in the cup;
such that in the brewing configuration,
the brewing chamber portion has the brewing substance therein,
the bottle portion initially has the fluid therein,
the drinking lid is located over the cup,
the bottle portion is removably attached to the drinking lid and located over the drinking lid,
the brewing chamber portion is located between the bottle portion and the cup, and
the blow-out valve member is located between the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion so that the blow-out valve member initially prevents a flow of the fluid from the bottle portion to the brewing chamber portion, wherein the bottle portion is hermetically sealed at least in part by the blow-out valve member prior to the blow-out valve member being ruptured by pressure from within the bottle portion, and wherein the blow-out valve member differs from the brewing substance; and
such that in the drinking configuration, a brewed fluid is located in the cup, the brewed fluid being derived from brewing the brewing substance in the brewing chamber portion with the fluid after the blow-out valve member is breached by pressure from within the bottle portion, the drinking lid having an aperture positioned to allow a person to drink the brewed fluid from the cup without removing the drinking lid.
49. A disposable beverage brewing system adapted to have a brewing configuration, the disposable beverage brewing system comprising:
a disposable drinking cup;
a disposable plastic drinking lid attachable to the disposable drinking cup and having a drinking hole to dispense fluid in the disposable drinking cup without removing the disposable plastic drinking lid;
a disposable plastic bottle portion adapted to retain a fluid therein;
a disposable plastic brewing chamber portion adapted to retain a brewing substance therein, the disposable plastic brewing chamber portion having a first hole formed therein; and
a plastic blow-out valve member bonded to a surface of the disposable plastic brewing chamber portion to cover the first hole, the plastic blow-out valve member being adapted to at least partially separate from the surface of the disposable plastic brewing chamber portion at a first predetermined pressure,
such that in the brewing configuration,
the disposable plastic brewing chamber portion has the brewing substance therein,
the disposable plastic bottle portion initially has the fluid therein,
the disposable plastic drinking lid is located over the disposable drinking cup,
the disposable plastic bottle portion is removably attached to the disposable plastic drinking lid and located over the disposable plastic drinking lid,
the disposable plastic bottle portion is hermetically sealed prior to the plastic blow-out valve member being at least partially separated from the surface of the disposable plastic brewing chamber portion;
the disposable plastic brewing chamber portion is located between the disposable plastic bottle portion and the disposable drinking cup,
the disposable plastic bottle portion and the disposable plastic brewing chamber portion are supported by the disposable plastic drinking lid, and
the first hole and the plastic blow-out valve member are located between the disposable plastic bottle portion and the disposable plastic brewing chamber portion so that the plastic blow-out valve member initially hinders a flow of the fluid from the disposable plastic bottle portion to the disposable plastic brewing chamber through the first hole.
2. The beverage brewing system of
the drinking lid is located over the cup, and
the bottle portion is located in the cup.
3. The beverage brewing system of
4. The beverage brewing system of
5. The beverage brewing system of
6. The beverage brewing system of
7. The beverage brewing system of
8. The beverage brewing system of
9. The beverage brewing system of
10. The beverage brewing system of
11. The beverage brewing system of
the bottle portion is removed from the drinking lid, and
the drinking lid is removably attached to the cup.
12. The beverage brewing system of
the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion are removed from the drinking lid, and
the drinking lid is removably attached to the cup.
13. The beverage brewing system of
14. The beverage brewing system of
15. The beverage brewing system of
16. The beverage brewing system of
17. The beverage brewing system of
18. The beverage brewing system of
19. The beverage brewing system of
20. The beverage brewing system of
21. The beverage brewing system of
a secondary fluid chamber portion adapted to retain a secondary liquid substance therein, the secondary fluid chamber portion having a hole formed therein; and
a second blow-out valve member bonded to the secondary fluid chamber portion to cover the hole, the second blow-out valve member being adapted to be breached at a second predetermined pressure.
22. The beverage brewing system of
23. The beverage brewing system of
24. The beverage brewing system of
25. The beverage brewing system of
27. The beverage brewing system of
28. The beverage brewing system of
29. The beverage brewing system of
30. The beverage brewing system of
32. The beverage brewing system of
33. The beverage brewing system of
34. The beverage brewing system of
35. The beverage brewing system of
36. The beverage brewing system of
37. The beverage brewing system of
38. The beverage brewing system of
39. The beverage brewing system of
40. The beverage brewing system of
the bottle portion is removed from the drinking lid, and
the drinking lid is removably attached to the cup.
41. The beverage brewing system of
the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion are removed from the drinking lid, and
the drinking lid is removably attached to the cup.
42. The beverage brewing system of
43. The beverage brewing system of
45. The beverage brewing system of
the bottle portion is removed from the drinking lid, and
the drinking lid is removably attached to the cup.
46. The beverage brewing system of
the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion are removed from the drinking lid, and
the drinking lid is removably attached to the cup.
47. The beverage brewing system of
48. The beverage brewing system of
51. The method of
52. The method of
54. The method of
forming a drinking configuration after the dispensing of the brewed fluid into the cup, wherein the forming of the drinking configuration comprises removing the bottle portion from the drinking lid.
55. The method of
56. The method of
57. The method of
forming a drinking configuration after the dispensing of the brewed fluid into the cup, wherein the forming of the drinking configuration comprises removing the drinking lid, the bottle portion, and the brewing chamber portion from the cup.
58. The method of
removing the drinking lid, the brewing chamber portion, and the bottle portion from the cup, wherein initially the system was in a storage configuration prior to the removing of the drinking lid, the brewing chamber portion, and the bottle portion, wherein the storage configuration of the system is such that
the drinking lid is located over the cup, and
the bottle portion is located in the cup;
turning over the drinking lid;
placing the drinking lid over the cup, such that in the storage configuration, a first side of the drinking lid faces a bottom of an interior of the cup, and such that in the brewing configuration, a second side of the drinking lid faces the bottom of the cup interior.
59. The method of
60. The method of
61. The method of
62. The method of
63. The method of
64. The method of
65. The method of
66. The method of
a secondary fluid chamber portion adapted to retain a secondary liquid substance therein, the secondary fluid chamber portion having a secondary hole formed therein, and
a second blow-out valve member bonded to the secondary fluid chamber portion to cover the secondary hole, the second blow-out valve member being adapted to be breached at a second predetermined pressure;
such that in the brewing configuration,
the secondary fluid chamber portion has the secondary liquid substance therein,
the secondary fluid chamber portion is hermetically sealed at least in part by the secondary blow-out valve member, and
the secondary fluid chamber portion is removably attached to the drinking lid; and
wherein the method further comprises
heating the secondary liquid substance in the secondary fluid chamber portion, thereby increasing the temperature of the secondary liquid substance and increasing the pressure within the secondary fluid chamber portion, and
when the second predetermined pressure is reached in the secondary fluid chamber portion, breaching the second blow-out valve member at least in part using the heated secondary liquid substance within the secondary fluid chamber portion, thereby allowing the secondary liquid substance to enter the cup to be at least partially mixed with the brewed fluid.
67. The method of
68. The method of
obtaining the beverage brewing system from a vending machine; and
placing the beverage brewing system in a microwave oven, such that the system is in the brewing configuration during the heating, wherein the heating is performed using the microwave oven.
70. The beverage brewing system of
such that in the brewing configuration, the fluid chamber portion remains hermetically sealed and the water within the fluid chamber portion does not contact the brewing substance until the water in the fluid chamber portion reaches a pressure sufficient to breach the blow-out valve member.
71. The beverage brewing system of
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/556,767 filed on Mar. 29, 2004, entitled Self Contained Disposable Microwave Beverage Brewing Device, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods of brewing beverages. In one aspect it relates more particularly to a microwaveable and disposable kit forming beverage brewing system that also may be used for serving the beverage after brewing.
Espresso and cappuccino machines can be expensive, and the process of making a cup of espresso or cappuccino with such machines is often cumbersome, time consuming, and/or very messy. Many people who own such machines will discontinue using them after realizing the time and effort required to make a cup of espresso/cappuccino and to clean up the mess it creates. This may be one of the reasons so many people are willing to pay large sums of money for such beverages at coffee shops (e.g., Starbucks Coffee® shops). However, many people desire to have a fresh brewed cup of espresso or cappuccino without having to leave their home. Hence, a need exists for a way to provide a fresh brewed beverage at home, but without the cost, mess, effort, and time required of many espresso/cappuccino machines.
One attempt to solve this problem was products adapted to be mixed with hot water (rather than brewed), such as instant coffee and instant coffee drink mixes. However, the resulting beverage from such products often does not have the same quality and freshness of coffee brewed using a machine and a brewing process. Hence, a need exists for a way to conveniently make a freshly brewed beverage quickly and without a mess, yet without sacrificing in taste and quality.
Other prior attempts to provide a freshly brewed beverage in a quick and convenient manner typically involve a machine or device, which typically still requires cleaning. Many people prefer using paper, polystyrene (e.g., Styrofoam®), or plastic cups that can be discarded after use rather having to wash the cup. Disposable items are now a normal part of American culture. There are many disposable food product packages, and there are even disposable cameras. Yet, no currently known device for brewing a beverage is designed to be self-contained, inexpensive, and disposable after a single use. Thus, a need exists for a beverage brewing system that is simple to use, inexpensive, and disposable.
The problems and needs outlined above may be addressed by embodiments of the present invention. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a beverage brewing system adapted to have a storage configuration, a brewing configuration, and a drinking configuration, is provided. The beverage brewing system includes a cup, a lid, a bottle portion adapted to retain a fluid therein, a brewing chamber portion adapted to retain a brewing substance therein, and a first blow-out valve member. In the storage configuration, the lid is located over the cup, and the bottle portion is located in the cup. In the brewing configuration, the brewing chamber portion has the brewing substance therein, the bottle portion initially has the fluid therein, the bottle portion is hermetically sealed, the lid is located over the cup, the bottle portion is removably attached to the lid and located over the lid, the brewing chamber portion is located between the bottle portion and the cup, and the first blow-out valve member is located between the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion so that the first blow-out valve member initially hinders a flow of the fluid from the bottle portion to the brewing chamber. The first blow-out valve member is adapted to be breached at a first predetermined pressure developed in the bottle portion during the heating of the fluid within the bottle portion. In the drinking configuration, a brewed fluid is located in the cup. The brewed fluid is derived from brewing the brewing substance in the brewing chamber portion with the fluid after the blow-out valve is breached.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a disposable beverage brewing system adapted to have a brewing configuration, is provided. The system includes a disposable drinking cup, a disposable plastic lid, a disposable plastic bottle portion adapted to retain a fluid therein, a disposable plastic brewing chamber portion adapted to retain a brewing substance therein, and a plastic blow-out valve member. The brewing chamber portion having a first hole formed therein. The blow-out valve member is bonded to a surface of the brewing chamber portion to cover the first hole. The blow-out valve member is adapted to at least partially separate from the surface of the brewing chamber portion at a first predetermined pressure. In the brewing configuration, the brewing chamber portion has the brewing substance therein, the bottle portion initially has the fluid therein, the bottle portion is hermetically sealed, the lid is located over the cup, the bottle portion is removably attached to the lid and located over the lid, the brewing chamber portion is located between the bottle portion and the cup, the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion are supported by the lid, and the first hole and the first blow-out valve member are located between the bottle portion and the brewing chamber portion so that the first blow-out valve member initially hinders a flow of the fluid from the bottle portion to the brewing chamber through the first hole.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of brewing a beverage using a beverage brewing system, is provided. This method includes the following steps described in this paragraph. The order of the steps may vary, may be sequential, may overlap, may be in parallel, and combinations thereof. A freshness seal is removed. The freshness seal covers one or more drip holes that open to an interior of a brewing chamber portion of the system. A brewing configuration for the system is formed. In the brewing configuration, a lid is over a cup, the lid has a bottle portion removably attached thereto, the lid is located between the bottle portion and the cup, the lid supports the bottle portion, the bottle portion has a fluid therein, the brewing chamber portion comprises a brewing substance therein, the brewing chamber portion is located between the bottle portion and the cup, the brewing chamber portion has a first hole formed therein, a first blow-out valve member is bonded to a surface of the brewing chamber portion to cover the first hole, and the bottle portion is hermetically sealed at least in part by the first blow-out valve member. Contents in the bottle portion are heated. This increases the temperature and pressure of the contents within the bottle portion. The contents include the fluid. When the heated contents within the bottle portion reach a first predetermined pressure, the first blow-out valve member is breached using the heated contents within the bottle portion, thereby allowing the fluid to enter the brewing chamber portion. The brewing substance is brewed with the fluid in the brewing chamber portion. A brewed fluid is dispensed into the cup from the brewing chamber portion via the drip holes.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures or processes for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
The following is a brief description of the drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and in which:
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers are used herein to designate like or similar elements throughout the various views, illustrative embodiments of the present invention are shown and described. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in some instances the drawings have been exaggerated and/or simplified in places for illustrative purposes only. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the many possible applications and variations of the present invention based on the following illustrative embodiments of the present invention.
An embodiment of the present invention preferably provides a self-contained beverage brewing system adapted to have at least one of a storage configuration, a brewing configuration, and a drinking configuration. Preferably, an embodiment of the present invention is microwavable, relatively inexpensive, and disposable.
Regarding the beverage brewing system 30 of the first embodiment, first it will be described generally while discussing uses of the system 30. Then, the components of the first embodiment will be described in more detail. The first embodiment will be described in the context of the system 30 being adapted to provide a fresh brewed cup of cappuccino or espresso, for example.
Referring back to
Referring again to
The first embodiment is also adapted to provide a fresh brewed cup of espresso, instead of cappuccino. The secondary fluid chamber portion 58 is adapted to be easily removed, as illustrated in
A beverage brewing system 30 of an embodiment is preferably a self-contained, ready to use kit or system that is easy to use and that already contains the beverage ingredients. Also, the entire system 30 is preferably disposable to eliminate the need for cleanup after preparing the beverage. Furthermore, all of the components of the system 30 in the brewing configuration are preferably microwaveable.
Now that a few uses of the system 30 have been described briefly and illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the first embodiment, the water 50, ground coffee beans 38, and milk 59 are provided with and already operably placed within the beverage brewing system 30, as shown in
Some or all of the brewing ingredients (e.g., water 50, milk, ground coffee beans 38) may not be provided with a system of another embodiment. In such case, a user may need to disassemble and/or assemble part of the system 30 while installing one or more of the brewing ingredients.
In the first embodiment, the brewing chamber portion 40 is an integral part of the bottle portion 36. In the brewing configuration (see e.g.,
In the storage configuration, the bottle portion 36 may be supported by one or more step features 78 extending from an interior wall of the cup 34, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In the first embodiment, the first blow-out valve member 52 is bonded to an interior surface of the brewing chamber portion 40 (see e.g.,
In the first embodiment, the first blow-out valve member 52 is separated from the brewing substance 38 by a first spaced distance 91 prior to the first blow-out valve member 52 being breached (see e.g.,
Referring again to
Still referring to
As described above and as illustrated in
As shown in
As shown in
The sloped portion 106 of the lid 48 (shown in
Referring to
Still referring to
In the second embodiment, the brewing chamber portion 40 is an integral part of the lid 48, and the bottle portion 36 is a separate component. In other embodiments of the present invention, the lid 48, the brewing chamber portion 40, and the bottle portion 36 may all be separate or separable components. Preferably, the cover 68 for the brewing chamber portion 40 is permanently attached to the brewing chamber portion 40 or the lid 48 after the brewing substance 38 has been operably installed. It may be preferred to permanently bond the cover 68 over the brewing chamber portion 40 to be part of the brewing chamber portion 40 and/or to hinder or prevent a user from attempting to reuse the system 30, especially if the system 30 is designed to be a one-time-use, disposable system.
Referring to
In still another embodiment (not shown) of the present invention, the secondary fluid chamber portion 58 may be an integral part of the lid 48 and/or some other part of the system 30. However, in such embodiment, the user may not have the option to remove the secondary fluid chamber portion 58. The liquid 59 and/or other substance(s) placed in the secondary fluid chamber portion 58 may vary for other embodiments. For example, the secondary fluid chamber portion 58 may include a flavoring or added ingredient, such as (but not limited to): chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, fruit juice, fruit, syrup, caramel, sauce, artificial flavors, natural flavors, and combinations thereof, for example. Thus, the flavor of a coffee drink may be altered by simply altering or changing the secondary fluid chamber portion 58. It is contemplated that the secondary fluid chamber portion 58 may be sold separately to allow a consumer to choose what flavors he/she wants, as a part of a modular kit for a system 30 of an embodiment. Thus, there may be some embodiments where no secondary fluid chamber portion 58 is included with the system 30. Still other embodiments may not have a secondary fluid chamber portion 58 and may not be adapted to receive or use a secondary fluid chamber portion 58. On the other side of that spectrum, an embodiment of the present invention may have or may be adapted to receive/use multiple secondary fluid chamber portions 58 for providing multiple secondary fluids in the brewed drink.
Although the first and second illustrative embodiments have been described in the context of being adapted to provide a fresh brewed cappuccino or espresso drink, an embodiment of the present invention may be adapted to provide other drinks or brewed fluids as well. For example, the brewing substance 38 may be any of a wide variety of possible substances, including (but not limited to): tea leafs, tea concentrate, instant tea, instant coffee, flavored coffee, fruit, herb, sugar, an artificial sweetener, a dehydrated edible substance, a dehydrated milk product, a soy product, a rice product, dehydrated milk, dehydrated cream, a concentrated edible substance, a concentrated drink mix, an instant drink mix, and combinations thereof. Similarly, the contents of the secondary fluid chamber portion(s) 58 (if present) may vary for other embodiments, and such contents may include (but are not limited to): flavored liquid (e.g., mocha, hazelnut, irish cream, amaretto, french vanilla, white chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon), fruit, fruit juice, herb, seasoning, alcohol, sugar, an artificial sweetener, syrup, sauce, caramel, chocolate, cocoa, honey, vitamins, vanilla, a milk product, a soy product, a rice product, cream, yogurt, a concentrated drink mix, an instant drink mix, and combinations thereof. Likewise, the fluid provided in the bottle portion 36 may vary for other embodiments. With the benefit of this disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will likely realize other ingredients, substances, and/or liquids that may be incorporated and/or used in an embodiment of the present invention.
As mentioned above, it is preferred that an embodiment of the present invention is disposable, inexpensive, microwavable, and designed for a single use. In a preferred embodiment, the lid 48, the bottle portion 36, and the brewing chamber portion 40 are made from a molded plastic material. The lid 48, the brewing chamber portion 40, and the bottle portion 36, each may be made from material such as (but not limited to): recyclable plastic, at least partially recycled plastic, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, paper, waxed paper, polystyrene, and combinations thereof, for example. For the lid 48, the brewing chamber portion 40, and/or the bottle portion 36, some or all of these components may be made from a same material, or they may be made from different materials. The first and second blow-out valve members 52, 62 may be made from any of a variety of suitable materials for a given design of an embodiment. For example, the first blow-out valve member 52 may be made from plastic. In a preferred embodiment, one or more of the key components of the system 30 may be adapted to become deformed during or after the brewing process to hinder reuse of the system 30. Also, the different components may have same or different colors, even when made from a same material type. The cup 34 may be made from any of a variety of known or later developed structures and materials, such as (but not limited to): plastic, paper, polystyrene, or waxed paper, and may be shrink-wrapped with foam and/or plastic to provide thermal insulation and/or graphics. Also, some or all of the components for a system of an embodiment may have logos and/or graphics included thereon. For example, graphics and/or logos may be included in or on the permanently-attached sleeve 49 (see e.g.,
An embodiment of the present invention provides numerous advantages. One advantage of an embodiment of the present invention is that a beverage brewing system of an embodiment may be purchased at a store (e.g., grocery store), stored in a user's home, and prepared at anytime using a microwave oven, for example, in the comfort of the user's home. Hence, the user need not drive to a coffee shop to obtain a fresh brewed coffee drink, for example. Another advantage is that an embodiment may be self-contained, easy to use, and/or disposable. Thus, preparation time may be short (e.g., two minutes in a microwave) and there is no messy equipment or machines to clean or wash after the preparation.
Furthermore, an embodiment preferably provides a portable and disposable package in the storage configuration and in the drinking configuration. For example, a user may put the system 30 in the microwave oven (in the brewing configuration) to prepare the beverage. Then, the user may remove the bottle portion 36 (and the brewing chamber portion 40 in some cases) to form the drinking configuration, which is ready to be carried (e.g., in a car or while walking) with its spill-resistant lid 48 in place.
Another advantage of an embodiment of the present invention may be the ability to stack, store, and/or shelve a beverage brewing system 30 of an embodiment (in a packaged and/or storage configuration) in a space efficient manner. Vendors and stores typically prefer and desire products having a minimized footprint area and that minimize the shelving space needed for the product. Because an embodiment of the present invention uses pressure in the bottle portion 36 to breach the first blow-out valve 52, it is preferred and will often be necessary to have a rigid bottle portion 36 (rather than a pliable or collapsible bottle). Thus, an embodiment of the present invention in a storage configuration preferably has the bottle portion located inside the cup 34 (see e.g.,
Yet another advantage of an embodiment is that it may be sold or distributed in a variety of locations, with or without the need for a salesperson. For example, an embodiment of the present invention may be sold from a vending machine 120, as illustrated in
An embodiment of the present invention could even be ordered over the internet and delivered directly to a person's home or business via mail or parcel delivery service, for example. An embodiment of the present invention also may be sold in convenience stores to compete with the coffee shops. Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention may be packaged and marketed to provide a same level of style and branding that many coffee shops offer, while also providing a product with a similar or equal level of quality. An embodiment may provide a high quality drink in a stylish manner, while still being inexpensive relative to a same drink purchased at a coffee shop. An embodiment of the present invention is preferably sized to fit into most standard size microwave ovens in the brewing configuration. An advantage of the first embodiment (see e.g.,
Referring to
Although embodiments of the present invention and at least some of its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods, and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
Vu, Robert B., Vu, Jacqueline Y., Dieu, Tuan “Peter” Anh
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